Safe Eyes America Announces New Board Member Vicki Rutledge

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Safe Eyes America (SEA), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the delivery of the highest quality medical and surgical eye care to the American public is proud to announce the addition of a new member to its Board of Directors – Vicki Rutledge. Ms. Rutledge a proud member of the Choctaw Nation resides in Hugo, Oklahoma. She first learned of Safe Eyes America from her ophthalmologist, a glaucoma eye specialist at the renowned Dean McGee Eye Institute, Oklahoma City.

Unfortunately, Ms. Rutledge was blinded in her right eye from a laser eye surgical procedure performed by an Oklahoma optometrist. Oklahoma is one of the few states in the country that allows optometrists to preform laser eye surgery without completing the years of additional medical education and surgical training currently required of ophthalmologists – medical eye surgeons.

Ms. Rutledge said: “I’m looking forward to working with Safe Eyes America. My connection with SEA represents an opportunity for me to find a “silver lining” after my eyesight was negligently taken from me. The opportunity to spread awareness and education on vision issues to help others is so important to me.” 

For example, Ms. Rutledge recently through Safe Eyes America became aware of a dangerous New Hampshire eye surgery bill (SB 440). This bill, if enacted, would have allowed optometrists to perform laser eye surgery in the Granite State. Upon learning of this dangerous eye surgery bill, Ms. Rutledge testified before the New Hampshire state legislature regarding the dangers to eye patients like herself associated with SB 440. Thanks in part to Ms. Rutledge’s testimony, the bill did not pass preserving New Hampshire eye surgery standards.

About Safe Eyes America

Safe Eyes America is a 501(c) 4 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the delivery of the highest quality medical and surgical eye care to the American public. SafeEyesAmerica.org.

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SOURCE Safe Eyes America